A big THANK YOU to Anne Grey, Executive Director of Alzheimer's Association of Orange County for presenting our Crossroads & Turning Points workshop, " Highly Engaged Boards" to a packed house of 42 nonprofit executives and board members representing 28 different Southern California organizations.

Anne has been a Network member since her participation in our 2001 Executive Learning Group and has joined both of our Leadership Reading Groups . Feedback from the seminar was very positive and we can't wait to have Anne come back and share her expertise in the future!

Congratulations to Maricela Rios-Faust , CEO of Human Options , for being part of the Little Hoover Commission Domestic Violence Advisory Committee. This meeting was established to discuss the state's response to intimate partner violence.

Maricela was a member of our 2007 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group and was coached in the 2010 Executive Coaching Program .

The Pacific Life Foundation announced its plans to give $7.25 million in charitable funding in 2020. Totaling almost $2 million, the Pacific Life Foundation’s initial 2020 Southern California grants were presented to 155 nonprofit agencies . Congratulations to Network organizations Human Options , CHOC Children’s Foundation , Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County , Ronald McDonald House Orange County , Thomas House Family Shelter, and Inspire Life Skills Training, Inc for receiving special recognition!

More information about this incredible partnership can be found here.

Hats off to Kendra Chandler , Executive Director of Urban Land Institute OCIE , and graduate of the 2019 Executive Learning Group , for collaborating with Samueli Academy , Orange Coast College and this spring at Laguna Beach High School to present their UrbanPlan program.

UrbanPlan program is a realistic, engaging exercise in which participants—high school students, university students, or public officials—learn about the fundamental forces that affect

r eal estate development in their communities.

Kudos to Alison Edwards , CEO of OC Human Relations for her participation in the OCTA Diverse Community Leaders Group.

For nearly two years, OCTA has been actively working through its outreach program to build relationships with diverse communities to break down bureaucratic communication barriers.

Alison was a graduate of the 2008 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group and coached in our Executive Coaching Program in 2013.

Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County welcomes Claudia Bonilla Keller as their new Chief Mission Officer. She will have a broad influence within the organization, beginning with a strategic focus on development and advocacy. Claudia's most recent role was chief development officer at LA Promise Fund and she also served as senior vice president and executive director of the American Heart Association in Los Angeles .

Welcome to Orange County, Claudia!

On Sunday, February 2, 2020 a fire broke out at Working Wardrobes headquarters destroying everything they had built over the last 30 years, including their wardrobing and donation center, corporate office, and career center. The building was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and is now considered a total loss. Luckily, no one was hurt or in the building at the time of the fire.

It warms our hearts to see our Network members coming together to help each other as Goodwill of Orange County offered space to WW to rebuild.

For information on how to help, click here .

Orange County Grantmakers co-hosted a discussion on poverty with the SoCal Policy Forum and UC Riverside's Center for Social Innovation, bringing together different voices representing the nonprofit , philanthropic , business and academic sectors to share their perspectives and solutions.

Collaborators included Shelley Hoss with the Orange County Community Foundation , Mary Anne Foo with OCAPICA , Lucy Dunn with the Orange County Business Council and Joel Kotkin with Chapman University.

It's always great to see Network members being given the opportunity to share their knowledge! Lucy Santana-Ornelas , CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County will be presenting on behalf of the North Orange County Chamber SHEinfluences2020. Under her leadership, Girls Inc. has gone from serving 1,500 to over 4,300 girls through programs focused on leadership, academic success, health and financial self-sufficiency. Her advocacy and support has earned Lucy many awards for civic, business and community leadership.

SHE Influences (TM) Conference brings together some of the region’s most successful and influential women to discuss business, leadership, personal health awareness and social issues.

President & CEO of Orange County United Way , Sue Parks was on the Accelerate OC podcast with host Carey Ransom discussing Orange County United Way 's life-changing work and initiatives. Sue also shared her thoughts on how to continue to foster innovation in Orange County.

Listen to the podcast here

A shout out to Sarah Halverson-Cano , a current member of our Executive Learning Group, for being featured in Patch as one of the

50 People Who Create Happiness In Newport Beach and Costa Mesa in 2020 .

For the complete article, click here.

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of a Network member, Denise Desmond . Denise was a valuable member of the Goodwill of Orange County since 1998 where she began as a development officer. Last year, she returned to OC Goodwill to lead the development department.

Denise participated in a Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group in 2011. We are honored to have known and worked alongside such an amazing individual. Denise was a beautiful human being and her bright light will be fondly remembered and will shine on forever.

Leaders in the Field  is a monthly communication highlighting Fieldstone Leadership Network members and their

achievements in the community.